CUNA News
  • LOG IN
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • LOG IN
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • Topics
    • Community Service
    • Compliance
    • Credit Union Hero
    • Credit Union Rock Star
    • Credit Union System
    • Directors
    • Human Resources
    • Leadership
    • Lending
    • Marketing
    • Operations
    • Policy & Issues
    • Sales & Service
    • Technology
  • Credit Union Magazine
    • Buyers' Guide
    • COVID-19
    • Digital Edition
    • Credit Union Hero
    • Credit Union Rock Star
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
    • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Awards
    • Nominate Credit Union Hero
    • Nominate Credit Union Rock Star
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Jobs
  • Contact

News

Home » PODCAST: Digital marketing advice from a former ‘annoying’ salesman
Marketing

PODCAST: Digital marketing advice from a former ‘annoying’ salesman

Technology-fueled connections are changing the face of marketing.

August 10, 2017
Bill Merrick
No Comments
Sam Mallikarjunan

Sam Mallikarjunan’s entry into digital marketing was anything but typical: Selling health insurance from the VIP lounge of a cigar bar.

“Paying for coffee and cigars is cheaper than renting an office,” he explains.

When the bar’s owner asked for help with e-commerce and digital marketing, Mallikarjunan rose to the challenge.

“I was generally familiar with the technology,” he says. “I was a digital native, and I was building websites on my own. So I ended up helping that store, and then a bunch of other cigar manufacturers and retailers with their digital marketing.”

Now, Mallikarjunan is an executive strategist at the inbound marketing firm Hubspot, marketing instructor at Harvard University’s Division of Continuing Education, and author of the book, “How to Sell Better Than Amazon.”

“The world is changing a lot faster than it used to thanks to advances in technology, but also thanks to stronger connections between people,” he says. “Competition is stiffer, and it’s happening at a faster pace now than it did 30 or 40 years ago. So I spend a lot of my time studying the market and then turning that into theories and frameworks people can use to help themselves stay ahead of the curve.”

The old “Glengarry Glen Ross” approach to sales is no longer effective, says, Mallikarjunan, who in a past life was one of those “really annoying people in malls who try to sell you cell phones.”

And marketers shouldn’t “just sit in the corner with crayons making brochures," he adds. “We have a marketing team that’s directly responsible for teeing up good conversations between a sales rep and a prospect. That’s the best way to do it.”

In this episode of the CUNA News Podcast, Mallikarjunan describes new digital marketing approaches that excite him, explains why many marketers and salespeople bad-mouth each other, and shows how marketers can prove the value they provide to their organizations.

You can listen and subscribe to the CUNA News Podcast in Apple's iTunes Store, Google Play, and Stitcher Radio.

 

Post a comment to this article

Report Abusive Comment

Credit Union Magazine: Winter 2022

Winter 2022

Credit Union Magazine’s Winter 2022 issue highlights data-driven marketing, the board’s role in cybersecurity, elder abuse scams, credit unions’ auto lending advantage, and more.
Digital Edition •  Subscribe

Trending

  • House passes CUNA, League-led board modernization bill

  • CFPB issues CUNA-opposed proposal on credit card late fees

  • Key committee leaders supportive of credit union priorities

Tweets by CUNA_News

Polls

Vote for the 2023 CU Hero of the Year

View Results
More

Champion for the Credit Union Movement

Credit Union National Association is the most influential financial services trade association and the only national association that advocates on behalf of all of America's credit unions. We work tirelessly to protect your best interests in Washington and all 50 states. We fuel your professional growth at every level and champion the credit union story at every turn.

More CUNA

  • Membership
  • Contact Us
  • Careers

Resources for

  • Credit Union Advocates
  • Leagues
  • Press
  • Providers

Our Affiliates

  • American Association of Credit Union Leagues (AACUL)
  • Credit Union Awareness
  • Credit Union House
  • CUNA Strategic Services
  • National Credit Union Foundation
GET CUNA UPDATES
© 2023 Credit Union National Association | ADA Compliance Notice & Legal
Email Us